Envelop-fastener.



A. THEI MER.

ENVELOP FASTENER.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUL(15.I9I6.

Patented Apr. 10

I 31400714 01, A. Theme)".

PULL -H 15:15

atfowwq barren srnrss ADOLF THEIMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENVELOP-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1d, TQM.

Application filed July 15, 1916. Serial No. 109,488.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnoLr THEIMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an envelop fastener and more particularlyto an attachment adapted to be placed upon the interior of the envelop for holding a tongue on the sealing flap thereof, when the tongue is inserted within the envelop to prevent the envelop from being opened.

An object of this invention is to provide a casing secured to the inside of the innermost side flap of the envelop, having means mounted therein which is adapted to pass through the slot in the tongue when the tongue is inserted within the envelop to prevent the tongue from being withdrawn to open the envelop.

Another object of this invention is to provide a slide, having a tongue adapted to pass through the slot of the flap upon the downward movement of the slide which is caused to move downwardly by an operating means extending outwardly of the envelop to efficiently seal the envelop.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for automatically locking the slide against movement after the slide has been once moved downwardly to cause the tongue to pass through the slot in the tongue of the sealing flap, preventing the slide from moving upwardly and disengaging the tongue thereof from an engagement with the slot in the tongue upon the sealing fla ll. still further object of this invention is to provide an envelop fastener of the above stated character, whichshall be simple, durable and efiicient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. p 7 v For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an envelop to which my invention is applied,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the casing illustrating it secured to the inside of the envelop,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank of the casing,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the locking element removed from the casing, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the body of an envelop, having side flaps 2, bottom flap 3 and a sealing flap 4. The side flaps 2 are adapted to be folded inwardly upon the body of the envelop and they bottom flap folded over the side flaps to provide a letter receiving pocket. The side flaps 2 and the bottom flaps 3 are each provided with an elongated slot 5 which slots are in registration with each other when the side flaps and bottom flap are folded upon the body portion 1 of the envelop. A suitable tongue 6 is formed on the sealing flap 4 and has an elongated slot 7 therein. The tongue 6 is adapted to be inserted through the elongated slot 5 when the sealing flap 4- is folded upon the body portion 1 of the letter, sothat the slot 7 of the tongue 6 may be engaged by a fastening means 8 upon the interior of the envelop, and which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The fastening means 8 consists of a strip 9 constructed of any suitable material and is secured to the inner face of the innermost side flap by means of a fastening element 10. The strip 9 has flanges 11 formed on the upper side edges, which are folded upon the strip 9 having their edges spaced apart. The flanges 11 each have their upper inner edges cut away as illustrated at 12 to allow the tongue 6 after passing through the elongated slot 5 and an elongated slot 13 in the strip 9 to project beyond the slots after they have been folded. An extension 14 is formed on the lower end of the strip 9, having an elongated slot 15 adjacent its end and a projection or catch element 16 pressed or struck up therefrom and intermediate its ends. The extension 14 is folded upon the strip 9 before the flanges 11 are folded thereon, so

that the flaps when later folded will overlie the extension 14,.

A substantially rectangular-shaped block 17 is pressed or struck up from the strip 9 and has an opening 18 to receive the fastening element 10. The upper edge of the block 17 is in a plane with the lower wall of the slot 13 of the strip 9 and has formed in its upper edge a substantially V-shaped recess 18. A rectangular frame 19 is mounted for slidable movement upon the block 17 between the extension la and the strip 9 and has formed on its upper end a substantially V-shaped projection or tongue 20 which is received within the V-shaped recess 18 when the frame 19 is in its lowermost position upon the strip 9, the normal position of the frame 19 being so that the lower end of the V-shaped tongue 20 will be positioned above the upper wall of the elongated slot 13 of the strip 9, to

allow the tongue 6 of the sealing flap 4: to pass freely through the slot 13. A catch or projection 21 is pressed or struck up from the lower end of the frame 19 and is adapted to engage the catch or projection 16 upon the extension 14. when the frame 19 has been moved to its lowermost position, to prevent opening 23 is formed in the ;tension 1-1:

for receiving the fastening element 10 after said fastening element has been fastened to the strip 9 and the block 17, for seeming the extension 1 1 upon the strip 9. After the fastening element 10 has een passed through the-strip 9, the ends which project between the adjoining edges of the flanges 11 are bent in opposite directions to overlie the flanges 11 to form a complete casing of the strip 9, the extension 14, and the flanges 11, providing a space whereby the frame 19 is entirely protected and is free to move upwardly and downwardly therein.

In operation, when desiring to seal the envelop the tongue 6 is inserted through the elongated slots 5 and the elongated slot 1 1 of the strip 9. By pulling upon the cord 22, the frame 19 will be moved downwardly, causing 'the V-shaped tongue 20 to pass through the slot 7 in the tongue 6 and prevent it from being withdrawn from the interior of the envelop. When the frame 19 has been pulled downwardly, the catch 21 upon'the frame will engage the catch 16 upon the extension 14; and lock the frame 19 in a downward position or looking position, preventing the frame from accidentally sliding upwardly and freeing the tongue 6, obviating the danger of the envelop being 1. The combination with an envelop in-- cluding a sealing flap, of a tongueformed on said flap and having a slot therein, said tongue being inserted within the envelop when the sealing flap is folded, a casing secured within the envelop, a frame slidably mounted within said casing, and means formed on the frame to pass through the slot in the tongue when the frame 'is moved downwardly to lock the tongue against withdrawal.

2. The combination with an envelop including a sealing flap, of a tongue formed on said flap and having anelongated slot therein, said tongue being inserted within the envelop when the sealing flap is folded, a casing mounted within the envelop and provided with an elongated slot to receive the tongue, a frame slidably mounted with- 5 3. The combination with an envelop ineluding a sealing flap, of'a tongue formed on said flap. and having an elongated slot therein, said flap being inserted within the envelop when the sea-ling fiap'is folded, a casing secured within the envelop and having an elongated slot therein to receive the tongue, a frame slidably mounted within said casing, a V-shaped tongue formed on the upper end of the frame and adapted to pass through the slot in the tongue of the sealing flap when said flap is moved downwardly, means for moving said frame downwardly, and means for locking said frame against movement when it has beenmoved downwardly within the casing'to lock the tongue of the sealing .fiap against Withdrawal from the envelop.

4. The combination with an envelop including a sealing flap, of a tongue formed on said flap and having a slot therein, said tongue beinginserted within the envelop when the sealing fiap is folded, a casing mounted within the envelop and provided casing, a substantially V-shaped tongue formed on the upper end of the frame and adapted to pass through the slot of the tongue of the sealing flap when the frame is moved downwardly, a cord secured to the lower end of the frame and extending exteriorly of the envelop for pulling the frame downwardly within the casing to lock the tongue upon the sealing flap against withdrawal from the envelop, and means for locking the frame against movement.

5. The combination with an envelop including a sealing flap, of a tongue formed on said flap and having a slot therein, said tongue being inserted within the envelop when the sealing flap is folded, a casing secured within the envelop and provided with an elongated slot to receive the tongue, a block secured within the casing and provided with a substantially V-shaped recess adjacent the elongated slot of the casing, a frame mounted on the block and slidable within the casing, a substantially V-shaped tongue formed on the upper end of the casing adapted to pass through the slot in the tongue of the sealing flap and'move into the ti-shaped recess of the block when the frame is moved downwardly, means for moving the frame downwardly, and means for locking the frame against movement.

6. The combination with an envelop including a sealing flap, of a tongue formed on said flap and having an elongated slot therein, said tongue being inserted within the envelop when the sealing flap is folded, a strip secured within the envelop and pro vided with an elongated slot to receive the tongue, an extension formed on said strip and folded upon the strip, abloek secured to the strip, a frame slidably mounted on the block upon the strip, a catch formed upon the extension, a tongue formed on the upper end of the frame and adapted to pass through the slot of the tongue of the sealing topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing Washington, D. 0.

flap when the frame is moved downwardly, means for moving the frame downwardly, a catch formed on the lower end of the frame and adapted to engage the catch on the extension for locking the frame against movement after being drawn downwardly, and flanges formed on the edges of the strip and bent to overlie the extension to form a casing.

7. The combination with an envelop in cluding a sealing flap, of a tongue formed on said flap and having an elongated slot therein, said tongue being inserted within the envelop when the sealing flap is folded, a strip positioned within the envelop and having an elongated slot to receive the tongue, an extension formed on said strip and overlying the strip in spaced relation thereto, said extension terminating at a point below the slot in said strip, a block positioned upon said strip adjacent the slot therein and having a V-shaped recess in communication with the slot, a substantially rectangular frame slidable on the block between the strip and extension, a V-shaped tongue formed on the frame and adapted to pass through the slot in the tongue and into the \l-shaped recess when the frame is moved in one direction, flanges formed on the side edges of the strip and overlying the extension, at fastening element carried by the envelop and extending through the strip, block and extension and having its ends bent to overlie the flanges, means by which the frame may be moved in said direction, and means for locking the frame against sliding movement after the tongue thereon has passed into the V-shaped recess.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADOLF THEIMER. lVitnesses:

IsAAo RoBLEs, L. T. SMITH.

the Gommissioner of Patents, 

